Debate

It's hard to get executions right. This week, the Supreme Court denied appeals by Louisiana and Missouri death row inmates who argued that they were entitled to know the source of the drugs with which they are to be executed, and that denial of that information compromises their right to due process. It's unclear why the court refused to hear the cases, but the underlying argument remains potent. Another challenge is underway in Oklahoma, where two inmates are seeking stays of execution because state officials have revised protocols on the fly as the lethal drugs they usually use have become more difficult to obtain.

When Obamacare's first open-enrollment period ended last week, the tally was impressive: 7.1 million Americans signed up for insurance on federal and state exchanges by the March 31 deadline, several million more signed up for Medicaid and a whole lot of under-26 Americans got covered by their parents' plans. Those numbers represent a significant political victory for Democrats, making it highly unlikely that Republicans will be able to deliver on their promise to repeal the law. "You're not going to turn away 7 or 10 million people from insurance coverage," crowed Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

ALBUQUERQUE - When Wynema and Michael Gonzagowski moved to town about two years ago, family and friends warned them about what they described as the heavy-handed tactics and aggressive attitude of Albuquerque police. At first the couple brushed off the warnings, saying things couldn't be as bad as what they had experienced in Los Angeles in the LAPD's Rampart Division, which became infamous for corruption in its anti-gang unit in the 1990s. But the Gonzagowskis, like others here, began to grow suspicious of their Police Department.

The post-season playoff performances have only added to the dilemma and debate of trying to rank the best junior guards in Southern California. There's so many that college recruiters are going to have plenty of options for the class of 2015. Michael Oguine of West Hills Chaminade, Kendall Small of Mayfair, Sedrick Barefield of Corona Centennial, Stephen Thompson Jr. of Bishop Montgomery, Max Hazzard of Loyola, Tyler Dorsey of St. John Bosco are just a few who added to their already impressive resumes during the state playoffs.

SAN DIEGO - For seven innings, it was a game that glittered with the Dodgers' brightest hopes. Then, in what felt like seven minutes, it was a game that swallowed them up in their worst fears. What began as a nice first chapter highlighted by great pitching and smart hitting devolved into a woeful opening verse of lousy relief, shoddy fielding, managerial second-guessing and a giant poke in the belly of the $250-million beast. What began as a pleasant night at Petco Park suddenly became a raging storm that thundered with chants of "Beat L.A. " It was a sweet opener, until the Dodgers forgot to close it, losing a one-run lead in the eighth inning in a 3-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday in baseball's first 2014 game on U.S. soil.

WASHINGTON - In speeches and remarks last week in Europe, President Obama made it clear that he considers Russia's annexation of Crimea a very big deal. But he also defined what it's not: an overwhelming national security threat, such as the U.S.-Soviet rivalry in the Cold War, that would trump all other foreign policy priorities. In appearances before European Union leaders, Obama called for a sustained effort to isolate Russia to discourage further encroachment on its neighbors, but emphasized that Russia is not the West's top geopolitical challenge.

Last year, after it was revealed that the National Security Agency was indiscriminately scooping up records of Americans' telephone calls under an expansive interpretation of the Patriot Act, President Obama urged the public to relax. "Nobody is listening to your telephone calls," he said. As for the so-called metadata that was being vacuumed up and stored by the government - the source, destination and duration of calls - the president assured the nation that the program was free of abuses and subject to aggressive oversight.

Candidates competing to be the next Los Angeles County assessor tangled in their first public debate Sunday over tax policy and the best way to reform the office after a scandal that led to the arrest of the current assessor. But they were largely united in their criticism of one candidate who was not present: Jeffrey Prang, a West Hollywood councilman and special assistant in the assessor's office, who is so far the front-runner in fundraising and endorsements. Twelve candidates are running to replace Assessor John Noguez, who is on leave and fighting charges that he had property values reduced for campaign contributors.

SACRAMENTO - The high-stakes battle over labeling foods with genetically engineered ingredients is back. Less than two years after California voters narrowly turned down a labeling ballot measure, the state Senate is grappling with the issue. The 2012 campaign cost the food industry $46 million to fight, five times more than the amount spent by the measure's proponents. By a 5-2 vote last week, the Health Committee approved Senate Bill 1381, by Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa)

Candidates hoping to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky addressed a range of chronic challenges facing the county board Thursday evening and offered different prescriptions for reforming the governing panel. Meeting in their third debate, the candidates agreed that the county needs to build more supportive housing for the homeless to reduce the number of people living on the street. They also voiced support for initiatives to break up bureaucratic "silos" separating agencies and making it harder to deliver healthcare to the needy and help for families in the troubled foster care system.